Nuffield Universal
at Bromyard show 2008]] The Nuffield Universal was a tractor produced in n the United Kingdom by the Nuffield company and its successor the British Motor Corporation BMC from 1948. When William Morris, 1st Viscount Nuffield the founder of the Morris Motor Company was honoured with a title and elevated to the peerage he chose to become Lord Nuffield and so when in 1948 the Morris Motors Agricultural Division launched their tractor range the name Nuffield was chosen to be the brand name for the company's agricultural products. History at the Bath and Southwest Tractor show in 2009]] conversion in Holland]] The models introduced at the 1948 Smithfield Show were the Nuffield Universal M4 and the tricycle-wheeled M3. Both tractors were powered by an engine based on the side-valve Morris Commercial four cylinder petrol lorry engine. The first diesel powered Nuffield was the Universal PM4 which was powered by a 48 hp Perkins P4 (TA) engine. When Morris Motors became part of the British Motor Corporation (BMC) in 1952 formed by the merger of the Austin and Morris companies, they retained the Perkins engine until 1954 when it was replaced by 45 h.p. BMC diesel engine, and the tractor designated the 4DM. The BMC OEA2 engine was a 4-cylinder 3.4 ltr Diesel of 45 bhp. In 1957 a 3-cylinder version of the BMC engine, was introduced. It was a cut down version of the 4-cylinder BMC model. This was reportedly not as successful as was hoped. In November 1961 at the Smithfield show 2 new models were introduced the Nuffield 3/42 and the 4/60 with a 3.8 litre engine of 60 hp. This retained the same 5 speed gear box. Then in 1963 the production moved to Bathgate in Scotland, to a new factory and a revised range was launched. The Nuffield 10/42 and 10/60, getting a new 10 speed / 2 reverse gear box, hence the new designations. 1965 saw the introduction of the BMC Mini tractor designed by Ferguson Research Ltd. for BMC. This tractor had similar design features to the Ferguson tractor models. Fittted with a 948ccm diesel or 1622 ccm petrol engine. By 1967 a revised range was again introduced with the Nuffield 3/45 and 4/65, with 3 variations available. Being fitted with 2.8 litre and 3.8 litre engines. The BMC Mini tractor was revised in 1968 getting a 1.5 litre diesel engine and called the 4/25. In 1969 BMC's holding company British Motor Holdings was amalgamated with the Leyland Motor Corporation which also owned Standard Triumph and Rover to become British Leyland. Tractor production continued under the Nuffield name until 1969 when the tractors were rebranded as Leyland Tractors and the familiar poppy red livery was changed to a new two-tone blue of the Leyland corporate colour scheme. In 1981 Leyland tractors was sold to Marshalls and production moved from Bathgate to Gainsborough, Lincolnshire. The colour scheme changed to cream and brown. Then in 1985 Marshalls went into receivership and tractor production was sold to Bentall Simplex and production moved to Scunthorpe, till they folded and the remains were sold to a Lancashire dealer, (John Charnley & Sons), who built a few tractors, marked JWD, to order from remaining parts. Model range of 1949 at Stoke Goldington Steam Rally 2009]] Universal M series These early Models had a "Nuffield Universal" decal on each side of the bonnet. The original engine for both M4 and M3 was a Morris Commercial Cars 4-cylinder sidevalve engine running on tractor vaporising oil (TVO), delivering 42 hp. * Nuffield Universal M3 - 1948-54 Single front wheel version for row crop work. * Nuffield Universal M4 - 1948-54 Conventional 4 wheel model. * Nuffield Universal PM4 - 1950-54 A Diesel engined variant with a Perkins Engine * Nuffield Universal DM4 - 1954-5? A BMC diesel was available from 1954 it was a 3.4 litre BMC OEA2 (these were fitted with a "BMC Diesel" Badge on the front grill) Universal 3 series * Nuffield Universal 3 - 1957-61 25 hp 3-cylinder BMC engine * Nuffield 3/42 - 1961-63 * Nuffield 3/45 - 1967-69 42 bhp 3-cylinder Universal 4 (4/xx series) The Adjustable track width sliding hubs were dropped for multi track * Nuffield 4/60 - 1961-63 60 bhp from 3.8 litre BMC diesel engine. Produced by boring-out the 3.4 litre. * Nuffield 4/65 - 1967-69 65 bhp 4-cylinder Universal 10/xx series * Nuffield 10/42 - 1963 42 bhp 3-cylinder with new 10/2 speed box * Nuffield 10/60 - 1963 60 bhp 4-cylinder with new 10/2 speed box. Compact tractors Mini ractor]] * BMC Mini tractor - 1965 950cc Diesel engine 9 speed, developed by Tractor Research Ltd of Coventry. About 4000 built.T&M Vol.12 no.3 * Nuffield 4/25 - 1968 'Mini tractor' MKII with 1.5 litre Petrol or 1.6 litre Diesel options * Nuffield 9/16 - 196? built in Agricultural and Industrial versions. 4-WD Nuffield-Bray models 4-wd conversion at Llandudno Festival of Transport 2008]] * Nuffield-Bray 4/60 - 1966-67 4-wheel drive conversion by Bray (approx 100 produced) * Nuffield-Bray 4/65 - 1967-68 4-wheel drive conversion by Bray (Matbro) (about a 130 were produced) Following the Leyland take over of BMC; *The Nuffield 4/25 became the Leyland 154, with petrol option available. *The Nuffield 3/45 became the Leyland 344 *The Nuffield 4/65 became the Leyland 384 Complete Model Range Serial numbers * please add production data / serial numbers here Tractors in preservation * List of know tractors in preservation See also *List of Tractor Manufacturers *List of Engine Manufacturers *Aveling Barford *Aveling-Marshall *Bray - built 4WD versions *Leyland Engines *Leyland Tractors *Marshall *Matbro *Perkins *Collections *Stephen Robinson collection - a NI collection of just Nuffield tractors. *Shows and Meets *Clubs Listing *The Nuffield and Leyland Tractor Club References / sources *Wikipedia for base article. (Additional History added with ref to Leyland tractors transfer to Marshall, and model range details) *Classic Tractors of the World by Nick Baldwin *Nuffield Leyland & Marshall 1948-85 by Alan T Condie *Three Decades of Marshall Tractors by Peter Anderson *Tractor & Machinery Magazine, various articles External links * www.tractordata.co.uk UK multi make info site * relevant web links go here Category:Defunct companies of the United Kingdom Category:Merged companies Universal Category:Defunct Tractor manufacturers Category:Leyland Category:Tractor manufacturers of the United Kingdom